Someone Died Here

When my sister went to sell her house I remember thinking, “Does there need to be a disclaimer stating ‘someone died here’”? Someone had, in fact, died there— my mother. 

Though realistically, I think the more truthful statement is that multiple people died there that day— one physically and many others emotionally. 

The survivors of that day certainly had pieces of them die right along with my mother. I know because I was one of them.

Multiple deaths: one actual life and others who would never and could never be the same— catastrophically forever different. 

Different kinds of death but deaths nonetheless. Someone had died here, and also pieces of others died here too.  

And I bet the people that walk those rooms and halls have no idea of the sacred elements of that space. I bet they have no idea that while life ended there, in one of those rooms, eternity also started there too.

I bet they don’t know that that house held an experience that changed our lives forever. The undeniable impact of a moment is silently tucked under that roof, sandwiched in between the freshly painted walls.

In a way, I’m glad the new owners and occupants are naive to that home’s story– our story. I’m glad they don’t know the goodbye that took place in that house, so that the delicateness and sensitivity of that moment stays with only us— forever ours to both bless and haunt us in ways only death can. 

For now I’m relieved there is no label, no caution warning, to highlight the trauma of that day and the goodbyes that were forced too early. I’m glad there are no remnants of the ending that took place there, for we carry them with us— examples of the fragility of life and also the beauty of love. Invisible pieces of my mother’s final moments here, with us– sacred souvenirs.

We left nothing in that place. Not a disclaimer, not a label, not anything to acknowledge what happened there. It’s ours. Her story and ours— an ending and several new beginnings.

We would be the only ones that know someone died here because we are also the only ones that know someone entered heaven here too. 

There was never a label or mention, “Someone died here.” We are the only ones who know that in this house, death claimed one soul and eternity embraced another.